Never About Money or Greed
by aeskis
Summary: An AU in which slavery exists and a white collar is worn by a prisoner who is not a danger to others, has committed relatively light non-violent crimes, and consequently been released into private ownership. Neal/Kate, Adler/Kate, Adler/Neal, Peter/El/Neal
1. Chapter 1

Dear readers, please let me know what you think of this idea and the story so far. I know this installment is really short, but it's more a teaser of things to come.

Comments keep the muses happy! :)

Summary:

Neal Caffrey walked into Vincent Adler's office a cocky young man sure of his own good looks and attractions with no need for romantic attachments. After meeting Kate Moreau, Adler's breathtakingly beautiful personal slave, he would not walk out the same man.

In order to divert Adler's unwelcome attentions from Kate and keep her safe, Neal submits to what Adler wants, which include employing his world-class forging ability, skill in thievery, and keen mind to commit white collar crimes.

When Adler hides Kate as punishment for not finishing a certain job, Neal looks for her, is caught by Special Agent Peter Burke, and sentenced to four years in prison. Adler takes Kate away to a place unknown. Four months before his release, Neal gets a letter from Kate that she is in danger. He escapes and is caught, again, by Peter at Kate's last known location.

Neal persuades Peter to take him into personal custody for the next four years and he will help the FBI solve white collar crimes (Sound familiar? Somewhat? :p). Neal's life improves immeasurably … until he charms even Peter and El to a degree he did not anticipate.

Mozzie and the usual cast features! Kramer will show up too, which is never good.

The reason Neal did not immediately notice Kate when he entered the room was that her startling dark blue eyes were lowered toward the lushly carpeted floor of the office. He saw a girl with a lovely figure standing subserviently behind Vincent Adler's desk, and then trained his attention to the man himself. The self-made billionaire leaned back casually against his plush padded leather chair, probably costing in the thousands of dollars, Neal noted. Adler looked with shrewd eyes at his prospective employee over steepled fingers.

"I'm not going to waste time asking you what I can do for you. Tell me what you can do for me. And convince me quickly." Though physically Adler was clearly the smaller man in comparison, the fact seemed miniscule when set against his overwhelming aura of command and power. Even his choice of remaining seated as Neal stood as a supplicant was a calculated power play.

"I can work for you in acquisitions," Neal stated without preamble. He knew exactly the appealingly confident image he showed, the enchanting effect his handsome face and finely cut figure, smooth manners and beguiling speech, had on people.

Adler shrugged and gestured to his slave. "Water." She came forward, fetched the glass from the tray and, kneeling gracefully, presented it to him. He took a sip, more for effect than the drink, and said dismissively, "My team is full."

Neal's amiable smile never wavered. "Cameron Singer," he continued. "You're about to buy his firm."

Adler raised his brows but coolly said only, "Speculation's been on the front of _The Journal_ all week."

"He's been avoiding Hannah Fields. Next week Hannah Fields will announce her new investment branch. She's buying out Singer." Neal took a moment to pause, recognizing that his next words would determine the outcome of the interview. "He's going to back out of your deal and the media will eat it up." Never letting his gaze falter, Neal pressed harder. "Your company will appear unstable." He allowed himself a casual lift on the corner of his mouth. "It could spook investors."

Adler looked at Neal more carefully, his face impassive, taking in the certainty, the sincerity of the young man's expression, at least in his words of the moment. "Kate will see you out," Adler said after a moment.

Kate inclined her head respectfully at Adler's words and moved to Neal's side.

Neal only smiled at this dismissal, knowing what it meant, and what it didn't. "If it turns out I'm right, call me," he said, placing his card face up on the desk.

Adler busied himself with his papers and didn't answer.

As they left the room, Neal had more leisure to study his escort's slim profile. _Very pretty_, he thought, his interest perked as it always did with striking women. As she opened the door, Kate turned her face to him, and it was then that the entirety of her beauty struck him. He stared.

"I look forward to seeing you again … Nick," she said, her hand appearing divinely slender and white against the ornate golden doorknob.

Neal blinked and managed to ask jokingly, "How do you know you will?"

A mysterious smile tugged at her full glossy mouth, and she closed the door.


	2. Chapter 2

An update! Again, please review to encourage this poor author! I know there's a lot of show repeat in this chapter, but I'm trying to make the story as convincingly canon as possible, with important divergent ideas. Next chapter will have much more original stuff ... and probably SEX. Most likely. Yes.

"So you're hired!" Mozzie enthused, a look of impish glee on his … idiosyncratic … face. "A month later … I was starting to worry. What does your job entail?"

"Know everything about everyone. Easy enough," Neal shrugged, tracing an art piece he'd seen at the Met on the table. In all honesty he too had been relieved when the call came.

He then grinned at his new friend, tilting his chair back in a precarious battle between gravity and his balance. "Shall we celebrate?" Dressed again in casual shirt and jeans, he thanked God that he could ditch the suit.

He would never, ever get used to suits.

Mozzie grinned back, already envisioning their future riches. "We could go out for the night, meet some friends of mine … no, too conspicuous at the moment. No, we should stay in. Up for a game of scrabble? Nah, a quote-off game would be better, so I'd see what you've learned. After all, 'We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.'" He smiled happily to take the sting from his words.

"Benjamin Franklin." Neal returned immediately.

"I see you've been reading," Mozzie said approvingly.

Neal smiled at him, grateful for all that his friend and mentor had taught him. "A smart guy told me to," he replied.

Mozzie chuckled and began to ramble about temperate zone islands, the care that had to be taken in swindling genius billionaires ... Neal's mind wandered to the astonishing violet-blue of Kate's eyes, the sweep of silky hair against her neck. But she was Adler's slave. That would complicate things considerably. But he didn't doubt his uncanny ability to overcome challenges.

Mozzie continued to talk, but he was secretly troubled by the dreamy expression softening the artistic lines of Neal's face.

Acquiring access to Kate was more difficult than he had thought. She always accompanied Adler, and when he moved, so did she. His interest in her only grew stronger at the prospect of a prolonged wait for fulfillment. However, today she was nowhere to be seen.

Adler tapped his fingers on the desk. "You've found the culprit who's been rooting into my affairs."

"She talked her way in," Neal explained, standing with his hands respectfully clasped in front of him but wearing a satisfied smile. "She seems mostly interested in your South American acquisitions."

"And you got her to come here in person." The chair moved in a half-circle.

Neal tipped his head forward to emphasize his resourcefulness. "I had the foundation feed her a story that you were impressed with her research. She thinks she's here for a job interview."

Sucking in a thoughtful breath, the businessman leaned back, his brilliant mind clearly at work deciding what to do, how to deal with this problem. His smile was cunning. "Bring her in."

Neal obediently went to open the door, and a gorgeous golden-skinned young woman entered the room. Her brazen, confident good looks did not stir him as did Kate's entrancing classic beauty. "Miss Hunter," he greeted.

Without sparing him a glance, Alex flashed her potential employer (so far as she knew) a brilliant smile. "Alex Hunter. It's a pleasure—"

"Have a seat," Adler interjected coldly, his face giving nothing away.

She immediately quieted, her demeanor showing signs of uncertainty for the first time as her smile faltered.

"Miss Hunter," Adler said brusquely, "your passion for antiquities is unusual for such a young woman."

"Every object has a story to tell," Alex said, regaining some of her earlier self-assurance. "I find those stories fascinating," she continued, smiling nodding sincerely in a manner that would have overwhelmed a lesser man.

"That was almost convincing," Adler chuckled unpleasantly. "Who are you working for?" he demanded suddenly.

Alex recovered quickly from her surprise at the question. "I … don't work for anyone." She hesitated for just a moment. "Yet. That's why I'm here."

"Drop the act." Adler ordered, walking around the desk to loom over her chair, effectively using his short height to advantage.

Neal stepped forward to intervene, becoming uneasy with the scene unfolding before him. "Sir—"

The so-called interview was brief, disastrous, and a frightening warning for Alex from then on. Afterward, Adler returned to his chair and studied Neal carefully. "I'm pleased with your work," he said after a moment. Then, "Go tell Kate to close the file on Alex Hunter. She's organizing my papers now."

Inwardly Neal bristled at the command, but this was also a chance to see Kate in private.

Kate laughed, impressed, as Neal pressed her hand over hers and the jewelry vanished upon opening her fingers. "Tell me again why I'm letting you make my favorite necklace disappear," she said softly.

"Because," Neal responded, his eyes intent on her as though his entire world centered on her words, "you like magic."

The necklace reappeared. "May I?" he asked.

She nodded and lifted the long strands up so that he could reattach the necklace. So close, her lightly sweet perfume infused his senses. He murmured in a sotto voice, subtle but persuasive, "Come out with me on Friday."

For a wonderful moment Kate almost appeared convinced. Then she shook her head and sighed. "Mr. Adler wouldn't allow … I can't possibly disobey…"

Neal rose, visibly disappointed. Of course.

But there were always ways around rules.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, well, you know how I said there would be sex in this chapter? Turns out I needed some buildup, so sorry for those readers who were anticipating-I mean expecting-some. :p

I know I'm rushing things, but I suddenly feel inspired. Before the muse abandons me, I want to write as much as possible. Hopefully soon I can go back and add to/pad the story.

Okay, I THINK there will be good stuff in the next chapter. And Peter's side of things will be formally introduced.

The job was nearing four months, and while Neal had certainly inveigled his way ever closer into Adler's inner circle, Neal could not achieve what he wanted—access to Adler's bank account password.

As for Kate, well, there too he was stymied. Despite his efforts, without Adler's blessing, Kate would never consent to seeing him as someone other than her master's employee.

"What do you think of Kate, Nick?" Adler asked, the question seemingly idle and unconcerned. He and Neal had been discussing the information on the likelihood of a semi-rival company folding that Neal had procured over the last few weeks.

Neal paused, taken off-guard by the unexpected non sequitar. "She's pretty," he answered noncommittally. "And smart," he added, when Adler waited for more.

Adler tapped his pen on the thick stack of papers before him which Neal had assembled. "And …?" he prompted.

Shrugging, Neal struggled to keep his face impassive. "What else should I say, sir?" Kate was Adler's property, he reminded himself. Adler was unlikely to simply hand Kate over without a reason. Although … a tiny hope kindled and flickered in his heart. He kept his head down, pretending to examine his notes.

"Don't worry," Adler smiled kindly. "Oftentimes the things we try to hide are the most obvious to the people around us." He rounded the room and gazed out the window where ever-busy New York lived its fast paced existence, cars honking at other cars, people hurrying to their jobs, everyone and everything always moving.

"Nick, men like you and I have the responsibility to assault the commonplace every chance we get. From the clothes we wear, to the art we collect … to the women in our lives." He looked at Neal appraisingly, and then said, "You would … like to be close to Kate? You look good together."

"Thank you, sir," Neal murmured, unsure of what else to say. Then his aching feelings overcame him, and he decided to take the plunge and possibly win it all. "Please allow me to date Kate, sir," he blurted.

"Ah, now we get to the heart of things." Adler rose and came to stand in front of Neal, forcing Neal to step back or have to look down on the shorter man. Undeterred, Adler reclaimed the lost space, and suddenly they were very close.

"You're the closest I have to a son," the billionaire business-man said quietly, appearing sincere for possibly the first time since Neal had met him. Neal could almost feel Adler's words breathe on his mouth as the man raised his head to him, straightening an imaginary wrinkle in Neal's impeccable suit. "You may."

Neal broke into a blinding smile of true gratitude.

Adler did insist on a condition. "You and Kate can meet privately in a room in my penthouse." When he saw that Neal was about to protest, he raised an eyebrow, and Neal swallowed his next words. "For certain reasons, I want this relationship to remain … under the radar."

And Neal had to agree. Owners did not simply loan their personal slaves to starting employees, however promising, without nettlesome questions coming from unwelcome quarters.

The first time he and Kate were alone, truly alone, they regarded each other in nervous silence. She smiled uncertainly, and to ease the tension he directed his attention to a Raphael painting on the wall of the tastefully (and expensively) decorated living room.

"You like it?" she asked, following the direction of his gaze. Neal himself had turned back to her, looking at her profile gilded with gold in the light of the setting sun.

"What?" he blinked, surprised at the interjection of words in the perfect scene that his artist self longed to draw on canvas. "Oh, yeah, no it's, uh," he stammered a bit, embarrassed. "It's breathtaking."

"It's my favorite one," Kate told him, a wistful note in her soft voice.

"Raphael was a master of balance." He warmed to the subject, always ready to discuss the beloved topic of art. "Thick brushstrokes for the landscape but the skin tones are almost—" the sunset dipping along the gentle curve of her cheek distracted him, "—translucent," he finished with some effort. Her scarlet blouse billowed loosely about her slender frame, and Neal wanted to hold her, find the curving softness that the fabric hid.

She turned to him, smiling questioningly. With a hand that trembled only a little, he raised his hand to her face. "May I …?" he asked.

Kate nodded.

Neal lowered his head and pressed a chaste kiss on her mouth, the gold hoop earrings she wore brushing against his fingers. In awe at the intensity of his feelings, he withdrew and could not help smiling at her speechless surprise that he had done so. "I'd like some dinner. Care to join me?"

A month later …

"They care about me, okay?" Neal replied, a bit more defensively than confidence demanded. "She cares about me." He looked away.

Pretending to fiddle with the chopsticks and Chinese takeout, Mozzie did not bother to hide his apprehension. "Don't kid yourself. Kate doesn't even know your real name. None of them do."

"I'm in love with her," Neal finally admitted to his friend, who looked terribly sad and tired.

Hearing the finality in Neal's voice, Mozzie changed the subject. "I hear the suit's been asking about you." He pushed the food around in the carton some more.

The suit who had been investigating the fake bonds. Neal remembered him very well. No doubt after receiving the sucker, Special Agent Peter Burke remembered him too, probably with less fondness. "I'd never met a fed before," he defended himself with a light tone of amusement.

"He wasn't a nanny goat in a petting zoo," Mozzie complained, obviously annoyed at the shameless audacity of his young friend. "Within minutes he could have set up a five block perimeter." He sighed and stopped pretending to eat. "Look, it's time to finish the job, and move on."


	4. Chapter 4

I still have a scene from the episode, but I did come up with quite a bit of my own stuff! Exciting!

And now we start getting into darker territory.

Please review and let me know what you think! But! please read the story before commenting that it's not worth reading. XD

A few days later …

Making love to Kate was … a revelation. In an impetuous, petulant fit he had had slept with Alex, but however exciting, in the end it was just sex between two people wanting to use each other.

Then, early that evening as Neal held her closely in the aftermath, absently stroking the violet band around her neck, Kate began to cry. Alarmed that he had somehow hurt her, he hurriedly asked what was wrong. "It's … it's my master," she wept.

Helpless anger swept through him, and he stopped his caresses on her neck. "What's wrong?"

"You … you know the color of my collar."

Of course he did. The shade between purple and white meant that, while Adler occasionally used Kate for his sexual pleasure, her true value lay in working for him as any other employee, running errands and doing secretarial jobs. He hated that she was so objectified, and in fact that despised the entire system of slavery—so independent and free to do whatever he wished himself, he could not imagine being so confined without going insane.

"He's been … strange lately. Humiliating … me," Kate whispered, tears dripping onto his wrist. "Sometimes violent, even."

Neal sat up and clenched his fists on the blankets, furious. How could anyone bear to hurt Kate, as delicate and gentle as she was? What could he—"Run away with me," he said suddenly. It would mean the end of everything he had worked for the last few months-his and Mozzie's scheme to get rich quick—Adler would doubtless chase after them for the rest of their lives using his limitless resources—the police would never let them rest—if they were caught, the penalties would be dire for both of them—but what else—

Kate turned over and leaned into his shoulder, hiccupping, looking up at him in alarm. "We couldn't possibly do that! We can't run forever, and Master would … he would …" her face went white at the thought. "He can be cruel," she finished softly.

Neal thought quickly. "I could … I could buy you," he suggested desperately, although they both knew her price was far beyond his means. In addition … one of Adler's business partners had shown disturbing interest in Kate, and Adler had rebuffed even him. But, if he was successful in what Mozzie and he had originally planned, he could have it all—money beyond his wildest dreams, and Kate, all of it. Unfortunately, although he retained Adler's high opinion, Neal couldn't ever be quite certain where he stood with the wily billionaire, and time was running out without guarantee of a winning outcome.

"I'll do something," Neal promised. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

She nodded, eyes huge and wet.

A few days later …

Kate laughed merrily that morning, and Neal, hoping that her improved mood meant an improved situation, laughed with her. She stretched like a satisfied cat as he lay above her, breathing hard. "I want more …"

He smiled down at her. "You're insatiable," he chuckled, burying his face in the side of her neck.

"… pizza," she continued, making movements to indicate that she was getting up.

"What?" Neal groaned in a muffled voice, pretending to be hurt at this blow to his manhood.

"We still have a margarita left over from last night," she pointed out as she rose from the bed, pulling the sheet with her.

"Hey—who says you get the sheet?" he protested as he was left sprawled on the bed completely nude.

"I get it," she giggled.

He rose as well and his eyes swept over her glowing complexion and the exaggerated hint of curves beneath the flowing fabric. "Wow," he commented in honest appreciation.

"Nick—the neighbors are watching," she warned lightly.

Neal turned in a full-frontal posture and waved carelessly. "Oh … hi neighbors. Shall I give them a show?" And he did exactly that until Kate dropped a hat on his head. "Oh! I get a hat!"

Kate, smiling, joked, "There. Now you're presentable." Her appraising glance took him in.

He grinned and looked down at himself. "You like that?"

At the time, he didn't realize that he would never be so carefree, so hopelessly in love, again in his life as in that moment.

The nightmare that would haunt him for years to come began late that evening. He and Kate lay in bed together. Of course the sex was wonderful, but Neal was content just to be close to her. He slowly woke, slowly becoming conscious that someone else was in the room. He jolted awake, heart thudding, the blanket sliding down to his waist.

Adler sat comfortably in a chair flanked by two menacing bodyguards, simply … looking at the occupants of the bed. "What the hell—?" Neal burst out, the vulnerability in his unclothed state unmistakable.

The man shrugged, raising a glass of wine in salute. "Well, you didn't expect to get Kate all to yourself, did you?"

Neal stared at him, loathing the man in a way he knew was apparent, and very unwise, considering the situation. Beside him, Kate stirred but did not wake. "What do you want?" he spat.

Adler smiled the oily snake smile Neal had seen him use on so many others when he knew he had the upper hand. "I expect a return on my investment. I have spent so much time on you, _Neal Caffrey_."

Neal started violently at the sound of his name coming from Adler's lips.

"And I was, I believe, very generous in allowing you to indulge in your pretty romance with my slave. But if you wish to continue …" Adler left the sentence unfinished, but his intent was plain. "I should enjoy myself as well."

"Go fuck yourself," Neal hissed. "I'm not your slave!"

Kate roused. "Neal—what's wrong?" she asked sleepily, at first not seeing Adler as the moon was streaming in only dimly into the room. She gasped in terror when her gaze fell on him and the two men looming over them.

"If you insist. And you are correct. You're not. But Miss Moreau … she's another matter."

At a signal from Adler, the huge bodyguards moved forward and closed their giant hands onto Kate's arms, preparing to pull her forcibly from the bed. She screamed piteously and Neal's efforts to free her did nothing against the men's unshakable strength. Seeing that he was only hurting her further, without thinking Neal leapt from the bed, naked, and raised his hands in surrender, eyes flickering in concern from her to Adler in a murderous rage.

"Fine! Tell me what you want me to do. Just … don't hurt her."

Adler sighed in boredom. "I told you already. Or at least, you should know, bright boy that you are."

Throughout it all, Adler looked on this most private of activities between Neal and Kate as a very interesting performance. The young man did his best to shield his love from the indignity of exposure, but in fact, Neal didn't realize which of them Adler was watching.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay. NONCON SEX HAPPENS. This was an intense scene for me to write, and I'm kind of freaked out.

Thank you so much to those who reviewed, and please leave a comment to let me know how I did.

From the instant Nick Halden entered his office Vincent Adler knew that he had come across something special. The young man spoke with diffidence, but still his white-hot intelligence and intense charisma shone through the politeness. And then of course, he was so very beautiful. Those characteristics, combined with vigorous youth, left an impression stronger than the jaded and cynical Adler had felt for a long, long time.

Immediately after Kate and his visitor had left, Adler switched on his computer to view the cameras in the hallway. He observed with interest as Nick's countenance lit up brightly upon his first full viewing of Adler's lovely slave. Ah, a romantic. That would certainly make things easier.

He picked up the phone, dialed, and spoke into the line, "Find out everything about Nick Halden and report back to me in three days." And for just a minute he wondered if Nick was only what he said he was, and then dismissed the thought as sentimental idiocy. Everyone who came to Adler had an agenda.

And in three day he had his answer. Neal Caffrey, early twenties, newly arrived to New York. Paired up with a street con artist. Recently cashed in $5,000 in fake bonds, bond which he, presumably, had forged. An impressive resume. Adler smiled wryly. Rather than anger, the information gave him a thrill. He was matching wits with a worthy opponent who for all his brilliance was still inexperienced, and therefore easy to manipulate. Two tigers in a cage circling each other warily, one clever and older, the other full of youth and potential—the deciding factor in their imminent combat was a pretty bird on a swing between them, a little creature that the latter was not willing to make a victim.

But Adler had no qualms about such considerations.

Tonight he was going to win a key battle. As the saying went, it remained to be seen about the war, but the mysteries in life kept it interesting.

It had been only minutes since he had been forced to drink the sedating stimulant. Neal moaned and bucked his hips as Adler trailed a curious hand down the hot skin of his smoothly muscled chest and belly, then without breaking contact, circled back to his dark rose nipples. But even drugged, Adler was taking no chances with Neal and motioned for the bodyguard who was not gripping Neal's wrists to hold onto an ankle.

The usually bright piercing eyes were soft and dreamy, limbs loose and pliant to Adler's every desire. For the next hour or so Adler was content merely to explore, taking in the graceful lines of Neal's lean body. He was truly a work of art, and Adler prided himself as a connoisseur on the subject. He did enjoy women, but found their softness irritating. Neal, however … knowing that the boy lay helpless beneath him despite his edged sharpness, there was something … extremely arousing about that fact. Neal's lack of participation for the moment only added to the pleasure of domination.

Adler had thought carefully about where to stage the scene, and had decided on the living room, next to the fireplace. He had been right in his decision. The flickering flames transmuted the unblemished pale skin to gleaming gold. Neal's breathing stuttered and grew erratic, eyes fluttering, hips moving restlessly, as Adler took him in hand and stroked with the ease of long experience.

In the minute before inevitable ejaculation, Adler crawled up Neal's limp body and bestowed a possessive kiss on his unresisting mouth. The boy regained some of his normal faculties when Adler spread his thighs and prepared him with lubricant, and he struggled. His feeble efforts were useless against the trained muscle of the bodyguards.

When Adler thrust in the first time, Neal uttered a scream muffled by the drug's debilitating effects. He continued to cry out through the ordeal, back arching in terrible pain. Adler had indeed made some mild attempts to ease his way—after all, he needed Neal able to work for him the next day—but Adler found he craved the agonized sounds Neal made, the tension of his virgin body as it tried to fight an alien invasion. He'd seen how gentle Neal was with Kate, the worship visible in how he kissed her, and was eager to leave a … different, more permanent imprint. With this is mind he bit down hard on the juncture of Neal's neck, making sure to leave an obvious mark as Neal pushed weakly against him, groaning.

Neal woke naked with the taste of vomit in his mouth. Dizzy, mind clouded, at first he couldn't remember who or where he was. Across the room straightening his tie, Adler laughed quietly at his confusion and tossed Neal his abandoned pants.


End file.
